Method of applying vent-shields to can-caps.



J. W. NICHOLS. METHOD OF APPLYING VENT SHIELDS TO CAN GAPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1912.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

7 -JWezzZar/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' JESSE W. NICHOLS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

METHOD or APPLYING VENT-S IELDS T0 CAN-CAPS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEssE W. NICHOLS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods for ApplyingVent-Shields to Gan-Caps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to caps used for closing cans in which vegetables,meats and the like are preserved, and has more particular reference to amethod of applying vent shields to such caps. Can caps, for the purposeindicated, are in practically all instances provided with a smallopening or vent hole for the purpose of permitting the heated air orgases inside the can to escape. This vent hole is finally closed,usually by means of solder, thereby in some instances maintaining apartial vacuum Within the can and in all cases preventing the entranceof air to the can contents. In the closing of this vent hole itfrequently happens that some of the solder will find its way through theaperture and unless some means are provided to catch this solder itbecomes mixed with the food stuff within the can. It is also the casethat unless protection is afforded the vent opening from within the cancontents frequently fill the vent opening and thus interfere with thesoldering process. To

overcome these objections it has been the common practice to' apply aprotecting shield beneath the vent opening. This shield has been held inposition by soldering the same to the underside of the can cap or bycrimping its edges into corresponding crimps of the cap. Such processeshave proven slow and expensive, and it is the particular object of thepresent invention to provide rapid and efiicient means for attachingshields of this character to the can caps. In accomplishing this resultthe shield is first formed preferably in the form of an are or othershape so that on compression the distance between its endsis increased.This shield in its bent condition is applied to the cap and the two arethus passed under a suitable roller, preferably by means of an endlessbelt, and the shield is thus flattened and elongated so that its ends,are caught under a suitable portion of the cap or, as is preferably andconveniently done, under a ring of. solder which incloses also the edgeof the cap and is subsequently used for securing the cap to the can.Still other Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Application filed May 17, 1912. Serial No. 697,840.

advantages of the present invention will appear hereinafter.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, in which I haveillustrated, in a somewhat diagrammatic way, a preferred embodiment ofthe present shield-applying means, together with an improved form ofshield which l have made the subject of a co-pending application SerialNo. 628,845. It should be understood, of course, that my improved methodof applying the shield may be used on many different styles andvarieties of shields and caps.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a can, the

upper portion of which is broken away in order to show the cap and ventshield in section; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the cap before thevent "shield is supplied; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showingthe vent shield in position; Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken ontheline d-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 4,except that the vent shield has not been fiattened and elongated intothe position in which it is shown in Figs. 3 and 4; Fig. 6 is adiagrammatic elevation of the apparatus used for fastening the ventshield to the cap, and Fig. 7 is a perspective of the vent shield beforeit has been flattened. I The cap 10 shown in the drawings is formed withan obliquely disposed edge ll, about which is placed a marginal strip ofsolder 12 substantially U-shaped in cross section. The vent aperture 13is at the apex of the downwardly projecting cone 14 at the center of thecap. The vent shield 15 is preferably made of metal which is annealeddead soft. A cup-shaped depression 16 is formed at the central portionof the shield, and each end of the shield is preferably provided with atongue 17 of somewhat less width than that of the main portion of theshield. As already mentioned, the shield is first bowed or given thecontour of an are, as well shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. This bending ofthe shield is preferably done simultaneously with its being stamped froma sheet of tin or other light metal, or from refuse cuttings from themanufacture of cans and can tops.

Referring to Fig. 6 for a description of the method of securing theshield to the can cap, the endless belt 18 is carried by a pair ofpulleys 19-only one of which is shown.

The belt passes over a table 20 whi h is suitably supported'to withstandsome pressure" during the shield-applying process. At a suitabledistance above the table there is provided a roller 21 mounted on ashaft 22.' Only the endlessbelt, serving as a conveyer for the' caps andshields, needs to be actuated by driving .power, the roller 21 turningupon the shield by frictional contact.

"The ring of solder having been placed upon the edge of the cap and thevent shield rested upon the inverted cap with the tongues 17 just insideof the strip of solder 11, as in the position shown in-Fig. 6, theinverted cap is placed upon the 'conveyer 18 and carried beneath theroller 21, the result being that the shield isfiattened by its con-.tact with the roller and the reduced ends of the cap and being snuglyinclosed by the solder ring. Owing to the fact that the shield has beenannealed and all springiness removed therefrom it retains its d8S1I'6d'shape and position after passing beyond the pressure roller 21. It willthus be seen that a large number of can caps may be equipped.

with shields in a comparatively short time and consequently also at agreatly reduced cost and without the use of an extra application ofsolder.

When the cap 10 and its attached vent strip 15 are applied to the can23, as shown in Fig. 1, it is evident that the solder strip 12 mayreadily be melted in a well'known manner thereby simultaneously securingboth the cap and the vent shield in their desired position. The venthole 13 may be readily closed by a drop of solder, which'is preventedfrom falling into thematerial,

within the can by means of the cup-shaped depression 16, which alsoserves to prevent said material from obtaining access to the,

vent hole.

While there is herein illustrated and described a preferred form ofconveyer and preferred means for carrying into effect my improved methodof attaching'vent shields to can caps, it will be evident to thoseskilled in the art that this method may be practised through variousinstrumentalities and upon caps and vent shields of variousconstructions. The invention is therefore not limited to the preciseconstructions shown, but reference is had to the accompanying claimtoindicate' its scope.

That process of closing open topped cans which consists in preparing avent-hole provided closure for the opening of the can by applying to theedge of such closure a U- shaped solder ring in engagement with oppositefaces of the closure, applying to the inner face of the closure alongitudinally bowed guard strip of soft metal having a cup-shapedportion intermediate its ends,

.said strip being applied with the ends thereof butting against thesolder ring, forcing the ends oft-he strip beneath the solder ring bypressure on the cap, applying the closure thus prepared to the canopening, heating the solder ring to solder the closure in the openingand simultaneously secure the guard strip in place, and closing saidvent hole. a v

c JESSE W. NICHOLS. Witnesses: A, B. STRA'1'ION,.

L. J. Poms.

